How to save a life
by Hunneybee
Summary: A member of the team dies.... The tragedy bringing two of the most unlikely people together. Join them as they leave old love in the past, and discover new friendships, new loves and hopefully a new future....
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys…. Uh this is one more song fic…. lol... but as I have stated before, it has nothing to do with my series 'Songs', so yeah…. Also this fic is gonna span out to about three or four chapters, so it's like a mini story……

Hey jenn… this one is for you and Winter, both of you encouraged me to write this... So yeah!!! ;P... lol... Hope you enjoy it!!!!

**WARNINGS:** Okay guys, first off, and my biggest warning would be that this is going to be an ArchiexTheresa fic……. Sigh... I love those… but anywho, there will also be swearing, smuttiness and all that good stuff!!!!! Oooo, also character death…. sooo, yeah. (DO NOT kill me!... lol...)

**DISCLAIMER:** Don't own….. Hmmmm, also don't own the song 'How to save a life' by The Fray….

Okay, so enjoy and blah-dee-blah……

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BAMMMM!!!

Four startled teens glanced up as yelling filtered through their bedroom doors.

They slowly poked their heads around the door jams and were meet by the, now frequent, sight of two of their team members fighting like cats and dogs. They all sighed heavily, wishing for the times that they had harmony in their little world saving group.

"You don't even listen to what I have to say anymore!" The female's voice rose an octave higher than usual "Why have you started to draw away from me? Now, when we finally defeated Cronus??"

"It's not that! I just can't explain okay?" A frustrated male voice yelled back sounding confused.

"Really?" There was ice in the girl's voice "Well you know what I think? I think that now that you don't have Cronus in your complete focus, you don't actually know what to do, am I right Jay?"

"Don't tell me how I'm supposed to act!" Jay snarled "I caused this team so much fucking heartache! You will never understand the consequences of my actions! I destroyed a relationship and got a team member killed, all because I wanted to keep you safe!" His dark brown eyes flayed the small redhead with silent accusations.

The pretty girl recoiled in hurt and disgust, her boyfriend never swore at her before, but it made her angry too "Oh so now you are going to pin her death on ME? I can't fucking believe the type of person that you have become Jay. She was my best friend! Do not tell me that you sacrificed her life for me, because I won't believe it! You never did give a fuck! All your worrying and thoughts went into defeating that psycho that destroyed our lives!"

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_Step one you say we need to talk _

_He walks you say sit down it's just a talk _

_He smiles politely back at you _

_You stare politely right on through _

_Some sort of window to your right _

_As he goes left and you stay right _

_Between the lines of fear and blame _

_And you begin to wonder why you came _

_Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend _

_Somewhere along in the bitterness _

_And I would have stayed up with you all night _

_Had I known how to save a life_

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Archie sighed as he walked past the fighting couple, his heart going out to the girl who looked almost desperate, the tears shimmering in her eyes evident from across the room.

His mind automatically took him back to that fateful day almost two years ago

"_**Odie, see if you can't push Cronus towards the back entrance of the building" Jay's voice snapped out of the din created by the bumbling monsters that Cronus had shown up with that last time. They were NOT letting Cronus escape this time, no matter what it took…**_

"_**Herry, behind you!" Neil's voice shrieked across the floor.**_

"_**Whoa, help! This stupid thing has me"**_

"_**Hang in there Atlanta!"**_

"_**Ghaaaaaa!!!"**_

"_**Jaaayyy!!!!!" **_

"_**You guys have to go! NOW!!!"**_

"_**No! I refuse to leave you!"**_

"_**Well what do we have here?" A dark silky voice entered the conversations and exclamations of the battling teens.**_

"_**Theresa! No!" Jay's dark brown eyes widened in horror as Cronus glided closer to the redhead that had been injured.**_

_**Their leader thought quickly. "Atlanta, circle around, Arch attack from the side! Herry I need you to get Theresa outta here! Neil, Odie go with them, make sure Herry has cover." All scrambled to do Jay's bidding none wanting the wrath of their leader to be on their shoulders.**_

"_**NOooooo! Herry put me down! I'm not leaving, she's my best friend! I love him! Jay don't do this to me, please!" Jay turned away from the girl he loved, knowing that he would sacrifice the whole team just to keep her safe.**_

_**Atlanta glanced to Theresa "Don't worry Terrie! We'll be out right after you, and I promise this will all be over!" She winked reassuringly to her friend as she rushed Cronus.**_

_**Theresa's breath suddenly slammed out of her as she realised what was going to happen. She opened her mouth to scream, but her vocal cords were not co-operating, and all she could do was watch from over Herry's shoulder in silent grief as Cronus spun, almost in slow motion, and as Atlanta came speeding past, the casual flick of his wrist seeming monumental to all. **_

_**The whole of time slowed, all keeping up mentally, just their bodies seemed to be moving in slow motion.**_

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_Let him know that you know best _

_Cause after all you do know best _

_Try to slip past his defence_

_Without granting innocence _

_Lay down a list of what is wrong _

_The things you've told him all along _

_And pray to God he hears you _

_And I pray to God he hears you _

_Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend _

_Somewhere along in the bitterness _

_And I would have stayed up with you all night _

_Had I known how to save a life _

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

_**The god of time slowly walked up to the Huntress, his evil eyes flickering malevolently as he slowly drew the scythe along her neck watching as the others all stood in horror as the blood slowly welled up from the wound he had made. **_

_**Cronus smirked, and with a second flick, time sped back up to normal, causing Atlanta to drop down in a heap, the dark crimson blood running freely from her severed jugular.**_

_**Screams echoed through the building and Archie dashed to his fallen beloved's side, his heart breaking as he gently cradled her limp body in his arms. He tried to smile through his tears, to reassure the tiny redhead in his arms, but gazing into those gorgeous hazel eyes of hers, he felt a wrench in his soul, knew that he would never forget her, no matter what happened.**_

_**A blinding light shook Archie and he glanced up to see the source of the mystical energy radiating from what looked to be Herry. On closer inspection though, he realised that it was Theresa who was glowing, her hair fanning out about her as she slowly stepped from Herry's shocked and slackened grip, her feet never actually touching the ground as she glided closer to Archie and Atlanta.**_

_**She gently knelt beside Archie, her hand wavering for a second by the cut, before a glow encompassed Atlanta's throat, and the cut and blood seemed to have vanished. Archie stared at the psychic in amazement "What did you do?" He whispered gently.**_

"_**I did nothing, merely made it so that her body would not looked maimed, unfortunately she will still die" Theresa's soft voice echoed mystically, the sadness evident for everyone to hear.**_

_**Both glance back down to their friend, who despite the enormous blood loss tried to talk. "Guys I love you both" She whispered softly "Please don't let this be in vain." Both nodded, their tears choking their replies off. "Arc… cough… Arch, I never told you, but I have the biggest crush on you" She smiled feebly as her body slowly shut down**_

_**Archie started to cry, the tears running in free rivulets down his pale oval face "I love you 'Lannie. Gods please don't EVER forget that okay?" He whispered to her, his throat closing up with emotion.**_

_**The others were fighting Cronus back, all using their maximum skill and power to defeat the power hungry god, or at the very least, keep him at bay.**_

_**Atlanta smiled grimly up at Archie "I kinda figured out that you liked… cough… liked me, dork" She whispered. Her eyes fluttered close for a moment, before she dragged them back up and looked to Theresa.**_

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

_As he begins to raise his voice _

_You lower yours and grant him one last choice _

_Drive until you lose the road _

_Or break with the ones you've followed _

_He will do one of two things _

_He will admit to everything _

_Or he'll say he's just not the same _

_And you'll begin to wonder why you came _

_Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend _

_Somewhere along in the bitterness _

_And I would have stayed up with you all night _

_Had I known how to save a life_

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"_**Don't forget about me 'k? I demand you name your first daughter after me!" She attempted to laugh, but it came out a gurgle of pain and she coughed some more. "I know you and Jay will have b… bea… cough… beautiful babies together!" Her voice faded for a moment but returned again "Tell the others I loved them like the brothers they were to me, and that I'll always watch over you lot." A soft smile finally touched her lips as she gently drew in a breath, and as she let it out her eyes closed one last time, and didn't reopen.**_

_**Theresa and Archie sat there for a moment, both feeling confused as to what had just happened. Each thought that she would take another breath in, speak to them a little longer. They couldn't believe that their best friend, the one person who could pull both warring parties together and make each act civil to one another, was gone.**_

_**Slow comprehension dawned on them and they huddled over her small body, their insides feeling as if they had been set alight, the sobs being dragged from both by forces beyond their control. They leaned into one another and let their grief overcome the numbness that had taken residence in their bodies. **_

_**As one they turned to the god of time, retribution and vengeance darkening their eyes until it seemed that both had soulless obsidian pits, and maybe they did, for their hearts and their love had been ripped brutally from them, and now there was only one course of action.**_

_**Revenge…… **_

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

_Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend _

_Somewhere along in the bitterness _

_And I would have stayed up with you all night _

_Had I known how to save a life_

_How to save a life_

_How to save a life_

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Archie sighed as he shook off the nostalgia; he gave a slight smile as he recalled a particularly vivid dream that had contained Atlanta. She had been sitting in the Elysian Fields, surrounded by their ancestors and laughing in complete abandon.

The harsh bang of another door being slammed shook him from his thoughts as he glanced to the remaining person standing in front of him. His lip lifted in a slight sneer as he contemplated their 'leader'. Jay had changed that day, it had not been immediately noticeable, but he had slowly withdrawn from all, turning bitter and lashing out at anyone who dared to try and console him.

He had started to neglect Theresa, who had not known how to deal with all the hate that he had been throwing her way. She had started slipping into black magic, the only way to run form her feelings and just, for once, feel as if everything had never happened and that they were still the same as they had first started out.

In the years since Atlanta's death, all six had graduated from New Olympia high, and were all at the same university, just doing different things.

Neil was studying drama and script writing, deciding to become a director.

Herry had gone into sports physiotherapy, knowing that he could really help those who had had sports injuries heal.

Odie hadn't been able to decide what he wanted to do, so instead of choosing just one course, he chose a couple. He was studying to be a doctor, a scientist and he was studying the supernatural that had happened through time.

Theresa had studied business management for her father's company, but she had also started to study archaeology and Ancient Greek and Egyptian myth.

Jay had maybe changed the most. Instead of studying to become an astronomer or an astronaut, he had secluded himself to the study of human diseases and was constantly locking himself away in his bedroom, not having contact with anyone.

And Archie? Well, he had become a fighting instructor, and took people on group hikes into the forests that surrounded New Olympia, only taking the most extreme and experienced back-packers who could handle his rigorous schedule.

All six had decided to stay in the comfort and security of their old dorm, needing the comfort and sanity that the others brought to a world that made so little sense all of a sudden, and the people who didn't understand the horrors that they had witnessed.

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_Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend _

_Somewhere along in the bitterness _

_And I would have stayed up with you all night _

_Had I known how to save a life_

_Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend _

_Somewhere along in the bitterness _

_And I would have stayed up with you all night _

_Had I known how to save a life_

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

He slowly made his way to the last female member of the group's bedroom, not even knocking, but just opening the door quietly and slipping through before gently shutting it again, immersing the room in blissful darkness.

He lay on the soft futon bed with the trembling girl and gently drew her into his arms wanting… needing… to give her comfort.

Another thing that had changed in the group was the relationship between the two most skilled fighters on the team. No longer did they fight, they actively sought the other out during the day, merely for the company of each other.

At first the strange relationship had come about on the pure instinct to be with those that most related to their own grief. It had slowly evolved into the need to be with one another because of the fact that Atlanta had been closest to the two of them than she had been with the rest of the team. And slowly a fragile building of trust had developed between the two, an understanding that they weren't so different from one another and they had a lot of similar qualities that they had never noticed before.

They had developed a bond that went beyond that of Archie and Atlanta or of Theresa and Jay. It had become their own little haven, an escape rout that they both needed from time to time.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

_How to save a life_

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

The slow development from enemies to grief partners to friends had been an arduous journey, for which both grieving teens were grateful to.

They weren't so alone in the big world anymore…

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

_How to save a life_

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

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...cries softly... I'm sooooo super sorry that I killed Atlanta:( See?? Even I was crying!! And I thought up, and wrote, the damnable story!!!!... sighs...

It's not that I don't like her character, cuz I adore her, but I just couldn't think of a way to have Archie start liking Theresa without something drastic happening….. sighs again...

And yes I am making up excuses... lol... but it's cuz I don't wanna die, and if you do kill me (adds in a hurried voice, seeing readers raise sharp objects threateningly at me) I won't be able to post up the next few chapters, due to the fact that it hasn't been written yet, and you won't be able to get the full effect of the happy ending!!!!!

Wheeeww…. wipes sweat off of brow... okayyyy….. Please review, tell me what a think, and all those great things!!! (",)

Love me (",)


	2. Chapter 2

(pops head into screen)

Hi all

(gives shy smile and little wave)

Soooo….. I'm back!! (lol) Some of you might not know who the bonkers I am, but I am quite an old author on this site, ha ha just haven't updated my work for almost a YEAR!! Sheesh!! Bad Hunney!!

So I had this major writers block, but hopefully it's over (smiles) Thanks to the miracles of youtube, I have finally watched bits and pieces from season 2 yay me!!

So I have decided all the warnings in the last chapter can just be followed through to this chapter and maybe the last. (",)

**DISCLAIMER: Do NOT own… Also don't own the song by John Mayer "Say what you need to say"**

Anyway, on with this adventure we call life

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Hurt.

The pain seared through her chest, making her catch her breath in a painful gasping sob. It hurt so much that she just wanted to run away from it all, escape the normal world of the mortals and run to her plane of dark magic, where Hecati had taught her the way to cope with everything.

You know, the girl though completely abstractly Hecati isn't as bad as everyone seems to portray her, I mean, sure she tried to kill all of us that one time, but it was only to be set free, something I can relate to.

"But no" she mumbled out loud "I promised him I wouldn't do it again. I promised that if I felt like I was slipping back into that dark cold void, that I would come to him, inform him of what's happening"

_Take all of your wasted honour_

_Every little past frustration_

_Take all of your so called problems_

_Better put 'em in quotations_

Everything had changed, her whole life, the way she thought, everything. Watching your best friend's life drain away while a power hungry god of Time went on a city rampage would surely change a girls perspective of life, now wouldn't it?

Once she had been the material girl of the group, understanding the heaviness of the burden placed upon all their young shoulders, but knowing when it was time to take a break and have a little fun to lighten up those dark moments.

Wanting, needing, almost craving the tentative smile from their world weary leader, loving when he confided in her and enjoying even more those rare times when he had actually let go and become a teenage boy, and not some mythological hero.

His love, even buried so deep, was the only thing that at times had kept her going, the understanding between them always shimmering softly, almost too afraid to be brought out for fear of destruction, of being rejected or torn apart by some unknown faceless evil.

_Say what you need to say (x8)_

She giggled softly, thinking of the almost daily fights between herself and the purple haired Warrior of the group, each having enough physical strength to take on one another, yet always reluctant to hurt their common ground, their friend Atlanta, who had stood between the two mortal combatants fearlessly, asking or sometimes demanding that they work out their differences, and just for once stop fighting.

Just thinking about her brought the painful memories rushing through her, searing her insides like a hot poker, or maybe Jay's xiphos. Yeah that seemed a more appropriate metaphor; she smiled humourlessly to herself, wondering whether he knew that she had been talking the truth this evening when she told him that it was all over.

That they had to move on, and that this relationship was too volatile for either of them to come out unscathed. Even though they had been one another's first love, it was just that… a first love, that slowly died when the winds of change blew in and scattered all hopes and dreams.

The pain burned so bright that she could barely drag a breath in to her oxygen starved body. She tried to roll to the side of her bed to grab the book of incantations Persephone had bequeathed her so long ago, but something kept staying her hand, flashes of a smirking face that, as she watched, slowly morphed to one of tender care, a loving stare when he thought no one was watching.

And slowly the burning flame in her belly diminished, quietly dying as if cooling water had been poured over them to quench their thirst. The young hero lay on her bed, panting slightly, overcoming the urge to use the dark magic out of old habit, the dark room hiding her shameful tears from all that would try and use them to further manipulate her.

_Walking like a one man army_

_Fighting with the shadows in your head_

_Livin' up the same old moment_

_Knowin' you'd be better off instead_

_If only you could_

_Say what you need to say (x8)_

A bright stab of light illuminated the room for a moment, blinding her so that she couldn't make out who it was, yet she would always _know_ the person walking into her room at that moment.

Her friend.

Her confidant.

Her lover.

The once purple mohawked teen gently and quickly shut the door, letting blessed darkness reign supreme once again.

The dark haired young man gently sat on the side of her bed, swung his legs up onto the futon and lay down, taking her trembling form with him, holding, giving comfort and taking the joy that they had finally found one another into his heart.

Both lay on the bed for a while, their thoughts strangely in tune with one another's after so many years of conflict.

_Have no fear for giving in_

_Have no fear for giving over_

_You better know that in the end _

_It's better to say too much,_

_Than to never say what you need to say again_

And slowly Archie tipped Theresa's face, his lips slowly meeting her soft ones, hardening as the little sigh of surrender passed hers. One by one pieces of clothing seemed to melt away from both, leaving them pressed flesh to flesh, breathing elevated to such a point that both were panting, gasping, needing that fulfilling pinnacle that they strived for.

"Archie…" The breathy whisper flowed around the room, a quiet background sound to the city's noise "… please, I need you!" The petite redhead whimpered as the man she had slowly grown to love smiled gently down at her, the moonlight bathing half his face in a soft silvery glow, making him look the part of Achilles descendant, leaving shivers of desire and lust racing just beneath her flesh.

He grinned at her reaction, no less unravelled by their shared love, the understanding between two connected souls. "I love you Ter. So much that I sometime feel as if I just want to hold you into eternity, but then" He mussed gazing into those perfectly formed emerald green eyes that had become so dear to him "eternity will never be long enough for me."

_Even if your hands are shaking_

_And your faith is broken_

_Even as the eyes are closing_

_Do it with a heart wide open_

Those gorgeous eyes slowly teared up and as they fell he thrust into her, leaning on his forearms to gently catch the falling tears, kissing them away so that they left no blemishing marks on her sweetly soft skin.

All too soon words were long forgotten pants sighs and moans filled the room as both reached the completion that they sought, Archie holding back so that he could watch Theresa falling into that blissful oblivion, and only going over himself when he watched those bewitching eyes fly open with her climaxed implosion.

_Say what you need to say (x7)_

_Say what you need to, say what you need to…_

_Say what you need to say._

Much later into the evening Theresa woke with a start, her vivid dream coming back to replay in her head over and over, warming the redhead slowly as she realised what it meant. She glanced down at her sleeping love, a slight smile curling her swollen lips

Atlanta, the one person who could bring the two together with a couple of words had been standing over them, her old hunting bow in hand and Eros' arrows slung over her shoulder. Her dancing, laughing eyes were fixed upon them and there was light in her face.

"See?" Her husky voice echoed in the still night "I TOLD you that you both had a whole lot more in common!" She gave her signature naughty wink "You just needed a VERY large wake up call and a little push in the right direction from cupid's new helper!"

As the dream gently faded into the night, her soft laughter lingered warming Theresa's hollow memories giving her new hope.

"Oh and 'Ree? Remember your promise to me! I get dibs on the first daughter's name!" And with that the memory, the dream faded leaving Theresa with shimmering tears falling softly.

"Never Atlanta, I will never forget, no matter how long it will take, my promise to you will be kept" The strawberry blonde quietly lay down, for the first time in years, finally at peace with everything and everyone.

In the morning she would apologise to Jay, she would make amends and then explain to the others that it was high time to start LIVING again.

As she drifted off a slow smile curved her lips. Dreams dragged her down and she gladly went, embracing the laughter of a fast little blur that used to create more trouble than both girls could handle.

--

Soooo… what do you think?? That was the second last chapter of this fic, and hopefully I will be able to kick my own ass every now and then and post an update (winks and laughs)

Oh and I might have an extra chapter, just from Jay's point f view… But you will have to say yay or nay m'K?

So if you are new to my fics, have a care, I am a bit of an unorthodox writer, and I haven't written for a long while, so go easy on me 'k?

Well Ciao!!

Love Hunney (",)


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